Rajendrakumar A Shah, a veteran of the gem and jewellery industry in India who was closely associated with The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council since its inception, as well as being one of the pioneering founders of the Gemmological Institute of India (GII) and its former Managing Trustee for over 25 years, passed away in Mumbai on January 29, 2020 at the age of 87.

Shah, who was one of the few in the industry with in-depth experience of both the diamond and coloured stone businesses, was a member of the Committee of Administration (CoA) of the Council for many years. He was also a founder member and office bearer of Gem & Jewellery Exporter’s Association (GJEA), which acted as sponsor for R&D activities at GII.

Rajendrabhai graduated in Science from Mumbai and joined the family business in Burma, trading gems and jewellery, but migrated to Mumbai in 1958 and set up Rajendrakumar A. Shah as a family business dealing in coloured gemstones and diamonds.

During his career of over five decades, he developed a very successful and specialized business in both the diamond and coloured gemstone segments.

In a condolence message, GII said, “Rajendrabhai was a great visionary and contributed immensely to the gem and jewellery industry in general and to GII in particular. He adapted to the vast changes that took place in the gems and jewellery industry very efficiently and guided GII to procure latest equipment, and recruit experts to handle it. He will always be remembered as the backbone of GII.”

Describing Rajendrabhai as a very knowledgeable person with great business acumen, GJEPC Chairman Pramod Kumar Agrawal said, "We will never forget his contribution to the upliftment of the industry. He was a very straightforward and upright person and served the industry in various capacities, including as A&F Convener of the Council many times."

On behalf of GJEPC CoA, Agrawal said, “It has been an honour for the Council to have been associated with Rajendrabhai over these many years. We are all bereaved by his loss.”

In recognition of his enormous contribution to the industry, GJEPC had honoured Rajendrabhai with a Lifetime Achievement Award at its 40th Annual Awards function in 2013.